Rising Sea Levels and Tidal Floods Threaten D.C.

An increase of tidal flooding is expected in D.C. over the next 15 to 30 years, as a new report predicts that the nation’s capital will have the most tidal floods on the east coast by 2045.

D.C. could experience daily flooding by mid-century, according to the report, Encroaching Tides: How Sea Level Rise and Tidal Flooding Threaten U.S. East and Gulf Coast Communities over the Next 30 Years.

Floods are becoming a larger issue because coastal areas are more populated than ever and global warming is raising sea levels.

Global emissions are on a trajectory to push surface temperatures beyond the threshold where scientists say “dangerous” climate change becomes unavoidable, the reports says.

The Potomac and Anacostia Rivers make up the borders of D.C. The tides from these rivers can cause flooding that stretches to parks and roadways.

“Today most East and Gulf Coast communities are unprepared to deal with flooding on a daily or weekly basis. But some are making hard decisions about how to thrive in the face of this unprecedented challenge,” the report says.

Officials are considering installing barriers and raising roadways in order to prepare for the projected 400 yearly floods by 2045, according to the report.

For more information on this report visit here.

Image via Shutterstock and Ucs Tidal Flooding Report v9